Spraying Awlgrip

rufus1138 · Sep 30, 2013

no, just minimize exposure, i.e. dont stick your head into the product or wipe it on your upper lip, i work in the aircraft industry and can tell you for sure that there are worse things than awlgrip and everyone likes to hype up the dangers of chemicals....dont be a retard and you will be fine, its not agent orange after all.

rardiH36 · Sep 30, 2013

My suggestion would be to research further. I seem to recall reading that that 2-part polyurethanes pose a special hazard in aerosol form. Besides being even more chemically dangerous than perhaps "standard" enamels or lacquers that might be sprayed, the two parts catalyze hard in the lungs and the body doesn't naturally expel them? Anyway, here is a photo of a warning about spraying polyurethane paint by Don Casey in his book the Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual, page 381.

Chris Patterson · Oct 1, 2013

I don't mean to sound TOO sarcastic, but if you spray Awlgrip without adequate breathing protection, that IS going to make for a pretty poor day on the hill. No it is not bug killer, but it ain't far behind it.

For the ones that don't believe it, go in your garage/shop, with the doors flung wide open even, open the can and spread a few brush strokes on something, and just stand there and "dig it". Anybody that tells you to spray two part without good breathing has never done this before. Ever. Or heard of anybody else that is still alive that has done it..

tommays · Oct 1, 2013

Yes I have sprayed it with my SATA mini jet gun which is kind of a giant airbrush

http://www.awlgrip.com/support-and-advice/Documents/G_H_Lines.pdf

The stuff is in fact VERY DANGEROUS and about as bad for your lungs as anything and while the chemicals are one thing the more or less crazy glue nature of the material is forever

I had no problem spraying the 545 epoxy primer BUT there was no way i was shooting the Awlgrip on a 29' hull topsides and went with roll & tip

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Chris Patterson · Oct 2, 2013

Mmhmm. I like a hard hat as well. During the "excitement" of the task, and all the stuff that goes along with it, it has saved me many head bangings.
With the goggles half fogged up, etc, and moving in and out of jackstands during this is a guaranteed big day. And oh yeah, that respirator you see on me is NOT suitable for awlgrip in a booth. You may possibly get away with it outdoors, trying to stay out of the line of fire, but really; is it worth it? My ex-doc-wife used to say, "The single most important thing when a patient comes in the door is, are they breathing? If not, little else matters".

So yeah, skip the gloves while fiberglassing. And hell yeah, I've hit a million things with a hammer without safety glasses, and the odds are you may cheat this all your life. But if you cheat this, the "all your life" part may be measurable..

Barnacle Bill · Oct 2, 2013

It is dangerous or unhealthy, but if you get a good 3M mask with the proper filters for linear polyurethanes, you will be ok. If you have a beard, then the seal is not as good. You are doing it once and not a lifetime of spraying. Also, if you use a touch up gun, you won't be atomizing the product like you would a normal spray gun. There are also full faced masks you can buy from 3M which really give you good protection and then they have a pull off plastic film to change now and then to keep the mask clean of paint and offer you good visibility. In regards to touching up Awlgrip, 3M also makes some great products for wet sanding to a very small grit and special compounds for buffing out Awlgrip so that you can get some great repair results that are hard to detect if done properly. The pros use this stuff every day.

RichH · Oct 2, 2013

Barnacle Bill said:
It is dangerous or unhealthy, but if you get a good 3M mask with the proper filters for linear polyurethanes, you will be ok.

Sorry to disagree but a 3M type of face mask is ONLY for VAPOR phase contaminants; the 'real' contaminants in most 2 part polyurethane paint systems are finely dispersed microscopic liquid AEROSOLS, which simply pass right on through such 'vapor' masks.
When spraying (aerosolizing) such paints, the only real way to stop the aspiration of such aerosols into the very deepest portion of your lung structure is to use a SCBA - 'self contained breathing apparatus'. Even the very complicated multi-stage and mega-expensive aerosol 'coalescing' filter masks are not 100% efficient.

If you dont want to risk permanent lung damage, 'or worse' then DO NOT SPRAY these '2-part paints'; OR, use a SCBA when spraying --- there are NO OTHER alternatives.

The contaminant as an aerosol is isocyanate ... the very same substance that killed nearly a thousand inhabitants in Bhopal, India in the 1980s.

:naughty:

spraygun · Oct 4, 2013

Like Barnacle Bill said get yourself a 3M mask Here's a picture and part number. You're not doing a lifetime's worth of work. You're going to be fine spraying with one of those disposable mask. Even the self contained units are not all that wonderful. You are just filtering dirty air you're creating. I prefer the supplied air unit. Pictures right here. The air comes from a nice clean location right into your mask.

Doc_holiday · Oct 5, 2013

It may depend where you live. In California, everything causes cancer, including cotton sheets, so if your in California, just move the boat inland across the state lines to paint it and you will be cancer free

Chris Patterson · Oct 6, 2013

You know Doc, that is absolutely true. I read all the time about California rats getting cancer from, well, just about everything. There's something wrong with California rats or something. Here, we have very sturdy and hearty rats. Woodster had one. Nothing will kill them. These rats can eat tar. Tires, chemicals, even resist a small caliber firearm. Tough damn rats. It sounds like you can kill a California rat with Skittles.

There's yer problem..

shemandr · Oct 6, 2013

Chris Patterson said:
I read all the time about California rats getting cancer from, well, just about everything. There's something wrong with California rats or something.

I think researchers do not use wild rats or mice. They used well known strains of those animals for study controls reasons. My guess is that those strains are known to be prone to get cancer. They then apply the substances they are testing and compare the rates of cancer. So, yes, there probably is something wrong with those rats.

Joe · Oct 6, 2013

What does California have to do with breathing Awlgrip 2 part LPU? It's deadly no matter where you live. Read Rich H's post again.

Chris Patterson · Oct 7, 2013

CharlieCobra · Oct 7, 2013

Two parts LPU's such as Awlgrip release IcoCyanates along with other nasties that attack and collapse air sacks in your lungs. This is irreparable damage. Use a standard respirator. Awlgrip is not suitable for touch up painting due to the fact you cannot blend or buff it. You would be better off with a software acrylic that can be blended and buffed.

RichH · Oct 7, 2013

spraygun said:
Like Barnacle Bill said get yourself a 3M mask Here's a picture and part number. You're not doing a lifetime's worth of work. You're going to be fine spraying with one of those disposable mask. Even the self contained units are not all that wonderful. You are just filtering dirty air you're creating. I prefer the supplied air unit. Pictures right here. The air comes from a nice clean location right into your mask.

The problem with the use a such compressors is that any contaminant that gets sucked into such will be compressed and thus concentrated. The absolute MINIMUM for such a compressor would be an OILESS compressor using teflon, etc. rings, located in a clear area, and then fitted with a 'hopcalite' filter to remove carbon monoxide, etc. and/plus a proper adsorbent carbon filter to remove organic, etc. vapors.

sesmith · Oct 7, 2013

tommays said:
I had no problem spraying the 545 epoxy primer BUT there was no way i was shooting the Awlgrip on a 29' hull topsides and went with roll & tip

Looked through some of your pics. That roll and tip job came out quite nice.

caguy · Oct 7, 2013

Snotter said:
My Morgan OI is coming out this spring for maintenance. During that time I would like to fix the fiberglass scars above and below the waterline. Though I have no inclination to paint the whole boat, I would like to spot spray Awlgrip white paint to feather the repairs in with the existing awlgrip finish. (Yes I know the repairs will never be invisible. If my boat was perfect I would never take the boat out alone.)

Have you considered using an air brush kit. They don't put out nearly the mist that a paint sprayer does. They are also easier to clean and store left over paint.

Spraying Awlgrip

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